Op-Ed: Mideast crisis prelude to major war

Iran, Russia, and China plan to hold mass military exercises in Syria. Iran will unveil several home-made destroyers and missile Frigates soon, and Iran threatens to break off nuclear discussions if the West does not lift oil sanctions.

An Iranian ship crossing the Suez Canal in March 2012.

photo credit: CC BY FreedomHouse/Flickr

Haaretz and Time of Israel reports: Iran, Russia, China, and Syria are making preparation for joint military exercise in Syria by early July, according to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency. Analysts assess this will be the largest exercise in recent Mideast history. According to informed sources, four countries will conduct war games in the air, on the land, and at the sea, with roughly 90,000 soldiers, 1,000 tanks and 400 aircraft participation. According to the unconfirmed sources, the Egyptians will allow Chinese warships to pass through the Suez Canal on their way to Syria. Iranian surface warships and submarines, along with Russian nuclear submarines, warships, aircraft carriers, and mine-clearing destroyers will participate in the exercise. The exercise is designed to send a message to the West.

The Fars News Agency reports: Iran will unveil 10 home-made warships soon. The warships are destroyers and missile-launching frigates, according to a senior Iranian Navy commander. Lieutenant Commander of the Navy for Technical Affairs Rear Admiral Abbas Zamini disclosed that the designing and building of Jamaran destroyer, a Mowdge 1 Class vessel, displayed Iran's high technological sophistication and capabilities in manufacturing warships, and added that Iran is currently constructing a second generation of the hi-tech warship. He said the construction phase of Velayat destroyer, a Mowdge 2 Class vessel, is 70% complete, and the vessel is under construction in Iran's Northern port city of Bandar Anzali. The admiral declared that Velayat will be launched by March 2013.

Haaretz reports: Iran warned the world recently that Western sanctions against its oil exports must be lifted and its right to a civilian nuclear power must be accepted, or else Tehran will end negotiations. Iran's delegation declared that any negative response from EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, would bring the negotiations to a sudden conclusion in its current configuration. Iran’s ultimatum arrived as the second day of discussions over Iran's disputed nuclear program got under way in Moscow.

Analysis

The Mideast crisis appears to be a prelude to World War III as the nations are now lining up for combat. Russia will do everything it can to save the Assad regime. Syria is Russia’s foothold in the Mideast. Russia needs Syrian warm water ports for its fleet and it has billions of dollars invested in Syria. Iran needs Assad to stay in power because Syria gives Iran access to Israel. While Russia will not risk war with the West, the stakes are now real high as Russia has already warned the West that the Syrian revolution could turn into a world war. Syria remains in a no win situation because when Assad is removed from power, the Muslim Brotherhood will replace him. This could mean that this new regime will be part of the caliphate theocracy that goes to war against Israel and the West. Syria will not survive the next world war because the Israelis will use nuclear missiles to destroy Syria’s chemical and biological weapons.